Saturday, November 23, 2013

Abe

"Portraying U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Tom Scott, talks to visitors during a commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery Gettysburg National Military Park on November 19, 2013 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania."

In fifth-grade I had to memorize the Gettysburg Address. At just more than 250 words, I don't remember being able to recite the entire thing in one take.

Last week, I got to document the 150th anniversary, celebration of the iconic Gettysburg Address for Getty Images. To hear it from Abraham Lincoln himself - or a man portraying him impeccably - was compelling.

Listening to speech from a spitting image of Lincoln, with most likely the same inflection, meant so much more now than it did when I was young.

It was an interesting assignment where lots of folks came together to celebrate history. With lots of reenactors looking exactly like Lincoln once did, and others braving the cold wind, it wasn't hard to find features.